It is known to provide ventilation and filter means integrally mounted within or on single cooking units, such as disclosed in the patent to Field, U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,005, issued Nov. 5, 1968; the patent to Pledger, U.S. Pat. No. 2,532,420, issued Dec. 5, 1950; and the patent to Gaylord, U.S. Pat. No. 2,813,477, issued Nov. 19, 1957. Further, it is known to provide such integral or built-in filter and ventilation units between adjacent cooking units, to provide a single cooking and ventilation assembly, as shown in the patent to Pledger, U.S. Pat. No. 2,535,863, issued Dec. 26, 1950. Because they are an integral part of their cooking units, such ventilation and filter means have greatly limited the versatility of design for kitchens, particularly commercial kitchens, or at best, have required that such designs be customized for the particular job. This increases the cost of original installation of such unitary cooking and ventilating assemblies.
Further, such prior art units have had the disadvantage that there is difficulty in removing the filter units, cleaning the interior of the ventilation and filter enclosure, and servicing the blowers with their electric motors.